Acid snowpack chemistry in Pennsylvania, 1979-81

Journal Article · Thu Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 1983 · Water Resour. Bull.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1752-1688.1983.tb05950.x· OSTI ID:5363880

DeWalle, D R; Sharpe, W E; Izbicki, J A; Wirries, D L

Snowpack chemistry was evaluated with repeated surveys at 30 sampling sites across Pennsylvania during 1979-1981. The mean snowpack pH of 4.25 for 280 samples was largely due to H/sup +/ from nitric acid. Snowpack sulfates were high, especially in the southwest sector of the state, where SO/sub 2/ emissions were also high. Rain-on-snow and coastal storm snowpacks produced higher snowpack pH. Localized increases in snowpack pH were found due to additions of dust from limestone and dolomite quarry operations, especially in the central Ridge and Valley Province. Acid loading on the landscape from snow in Pennsylvania is controlled by the total amount of snowfall as well as variations in concentrations of chemical constituents. 16 references, 7 figures, 5 tables.

• Research Organization: Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park
• OSTI ID: 5363880
• Journal Information: Water Resour. Bull.; (United States), Vol. 19:6
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
DUSTS
POLLUTION SOURCES
SNOW
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
SULFUR DIOXIDE
ACID RAIN
AIR POLLUTION
CATIONS
DOLOMITE
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
LIMESTONE
NITRIC ACID
PENNSYLVANIA
PH VALUE
SAMPLING
SULFATES
SURVEYS
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
CALCIUM CARBONATES
CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBONATE MINERALS
CARBONATE ROCKS
CARBONATES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHARGED PARTICLES
DATA
FEDERAL REGION III
INFORMATION
INORGANIC ACIDS
IONS
MAGNESIUM CARBONATES
MAGNESIUM COMPOUNDS
MINERALS
NORTH AMERICA
NUMERICAL DATA
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
RAIN
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR OXIDES
USA
500200* - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)